Importance Of Effective Listening Skills For The Hotel Industry

The hotel industry is a dynamic industry that is demanding and challenging too. The biggest challenge of the hotel industry is to make guests happy and satisfied. According to one of the best hoteliers in the nation, Patrick Imbardelli, he says that effective listening skills play a vital role in the growth and development of the hotel brand and image. He says that communication skills are important in the hotel and hospitality industry but many people ignore another vital skill of the communication skill- listening!

He says that listening skills will help you satisfy the customer and ensure that their needs and expectations are looked into with success. The customer needs complete attention. Like for instance, when you are with the customer and he is talking to you, it is important that you maintain eye contact with him. Talking without looking at him and busy elsewhere like the computer, scanning the room etc, will ruin your listening skills and create a very negative impression in the minds of the guest. You should always remember that you are the face of the hotel and it is important for you not to create a negative impression when you are with them. The right chord needs to be struck and you should be patient when it comes to managing and addressing the needs of difficult customers. No one likes divided attention and so you should under no circumstances avoid eye contact when you are talking with the customer. Facing the speaker is important and gives the guest a high level of trust and confidence.

When you are communicating with a guest or even a colleague, it is very important for you to screen out any kind of mental distraction. This can be in the form of background noise or a thought that is not related to the conversation. It is important for you to be attentive but relaxed. Patrick Imbardelli cautions against listening with judgement. It is very important for you to have an open mind so that you do not form opinions in your mind about the speaker. You should not focus on the speaker’s mannerisms when you are communicating with him or her. You should be patient and understand what is needed or expected. This will also help you resolve queries and concerns faster. It is also important for you to listen without judgment as well.

Last but not the least, Patrick Imbardelli says that you should listen without imposing your judgements or solutions. It is important for you not to interrupt the speaker as this is considered to be very rude and bad manners. In order to clarify what the speaker wishes to say, it is important for you to wait for him or her to pause first. Once, you get the pause, you may ask clarifying questions to ensure better understanding. The speaker too will be able to repose faith and trust in you when you are listening attentively. This is important in the hotel industry to make the guest or the customer loyal and satisfied.